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World Food Day 2013: Ending Hunger Together

World Food Day, October 16, is a day designated to increase awareness of world hunger and poverty, and to inspire solutions for change.

Facts about Hunger

There are 870 million people in the world who do not have access to adequate food to live healthy lives.

Surprisingly, it is often the people who produce food who are the most food insecure. Three-quarters of the people who regularly go to bed hungry live in rural areas of developing countries – most are smallholder farmers.

Asia and the Pacific have the largest number of the world’s hungry people-over half.

Africa has the highest percentage of population that is hungry.

Climate Change Means More Hunger

While the percentage of hungry people has declined globally, from 18.6% of the population in 1990 to 12.5% in 2012, climate change is threatening to undo this progress.

What does climate change look like for many people around the world? Higher temperatures. More droughts leaving crops parched. Changes in rainfall patterns leaving farmers wondering when to plant their fields. Rising sea levels crowding out coastal communities and contaminating water supplies and agricultural lands.

Sowing the Seeds of Food Security

PWS&D is working with partners around the world to help small-scale farmers increase crop yields and reduce vulnerability. Programs provide farmers with seeds, tools, fertilizer, and training in innovative and sustainable farming practices, as well as emergency food relief in times of need.

Help End Hunger

As an individual, community or congregation there are many ways you can help:

Harvest of Letters: Help end global hunger by influencing public policies. Send a personal, handwritten letter to your MP about Canada’s commitment to helping vulnerable people adapt to a changing climate.

Donate to PWS&D: to support programs which teach improved farming practices and provide food in times of emergency.

* PWS&D is a member of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a coalition of 15 church-based agencies working together with the common goal of eliminating global hunger.

World Food Day Worship Resource: And God saw that it was good ...Download